Additions to the Faculty

INTERNAL MEMO

To: Students and Readers

18t June 2008

Dear all,

As the Co-Founder of the Allen Stanford University for Cricket Bloggers, I have continued to recruit new faculty members since our launch in response to the growing demand for quality cricket education and entertainment.

Though the new recruits have been brought on board over the last few months, I haven't been able to formally introduce them to you.

What better day to make the introductions than the one on which the Co-Founder & Dean of our University celebrates his 1000th lecture. Congratulations Uncle J!

Our first new facutly members since the launch were DS Henry, Scorpicity, and Trideep.

DS was hired as the exclusive lecturer for "Marketing & 20-20 Cricket Leagues", while Scorpicity and Trideep joined Straight Point as lecturers on "Reporting on Indian Cricket".

The ever growing Indian cricket industry required us to continue the hiring process for this subject as demand from students was unmatched by any other subject. This led to the recent hirings of Som and Samir Chopra.

In between we also recruited our 2nd female member as Miriam of Cricket with Balls joined us as the professor on "Fashion in Cricket". Her first few lectures were on Daniel Vettori's glasses and Jacob Oram's garments from 'Big & Tall'. Her most recent lecture that generated a lot of interest was on Kevin Pieterson's ability to switch (between male and female clothing).

One of our most recent recruit is The Cricket3r who joined us in the Administration of the University and takes care of collating all information and data regarding the faculty members as well as the students. He knows all of us, but none of us know who he is. Not even his name.

At the beginning of this month, we recruited Sledgehammer who joined the Well Pitched crew to alternate on lectures on "How to Manage Cricket in Pakistan".

The growing mismanagement in Pakistan cricket led us to hire some more faculty members to lecture on several areas such as "Selecting a Squad - How Not to do it the Pakistan Way" and "Running a Cricket Board - How Not to do it the Pakistan Way".

Wasim was hired for the former, while Khansahab for the latter.

I officially welcome you to our elite faculty and thank you for the immense popularity we have achieved since our launch.

I am sure that going forward, the Allen Stanford University for Cricket Bloggers will continue to grow and match your expectations in educating and entertaining you with all things Cricket.

Yours faithfully,

Q
Co-Founder, Allen Stanford University for Cricket Bloggers.

Missing in Action

The blogging world is like a suspense thriller really, you blink an eye and you miss something important.

As always I disappeared for a bit for a day and half during the weekend, and the only reason I am back today is because of the ongoing Pakistan vs India Final of the Kitply Cup.

I usually catch up on the blogosphere on Sundays after Thursday evening, but today was an exception and I realised I had missed quite a bit.

Uncle J Rod got picked as the Blog of the Month in this June's edition of The Wisden Cricketer. congrats Uncle J, you truly deserve it.

Meanwhile the tipping bloggers made their picks for the 20-20 match and the ODIs between England and New Zealand over at Sportsfreak's tipping competition for bloggers.

Miss Field, while congratulating Uncle J for the mention in the Wisden requests for support for the Silly Point, and also ponders who the Wisden will pick next month - us or the Suave one?

Ottayan asks readers on what their superstition used to be during Pakistan and India's matches in the past, while Som wonders why Geoff Lawson even opened his mouth.

Homer decided to go statistical this weekend as he tested Uncle J's theory on Micheal Clarke, and his analysis was as always well backed up blogosphere's statistical grand daddy (or Ninja as Uncle J likes to call him), David Barry.

And, the former Wisden Blog of the Month, King Cricket, told everyone how much they love Paul Collingwood.

While catching up on the cricket news I could not believe that England won the 20-20 match against New Zealand. Its besides the fact that I lost out on a point on the tipping competition, but how can the Kiwis lose to England in the shorter version of the game?

I wonder if $1 million had something to do with that.

In another part of the world, Mohammad Asif, whose case will now not be heard till 22nd June 2008, gave a very interesting interview over the phone booth to a Pakistani newspaper.

Whats funny is that he's thinking about a football career now! 2 weeks in a Dubai jail can do that to you I guess.

And in the West, The Aussies seem to be on top after the Windies had a sniff on day 1. This was Windies' best chance and they blew it up yet again. And that too when the Aussies unleashed their most unexciting spinner ever.

Its always good catching up on cricket - miss a day and a half and you've lost the plot. It was never like this before.

Eyes Wright Shut!

Recently Ottayan and Som took a few digs at Luke Wright, Sajid Mahmood, and Ravi Bopara, the 3 English cricketers who within 24 hours talked about declining offers made to them from the IPL.

There were some commenters who jumped to the defence of these cricketers, and initially it may have seemed that the Indian bloggers were unfairly targeting the English.

But, Patrick Kidd of the Times has also come out with a little dig on the 3. It doesn't seem that bad when it comes from one of England's own now, does it?

In defence of the cricketers, I'd like to say job well done boys!

Andrew Flintoff is injured again and there's a slight worry about Collingwood - thus, a possible place in the squad for the 1st test against the Kiwis is up for grabs.

Sajid Mahmood doesn't have a realistic chance but Bopara or Wright could get the call. They could even make the cut ahead of someone like Owais Shah or Robert Key owing to their ability to bowl a few overs. More than a few actually.

Luke Wright's statement of declining the IPL offer and a century in a tour game against the Kiwis has been timed to perfection.

I like Luke Wright. One of the few English cricketers I like. In fact I like all unorthodox English cricketers who are not afraid to play with a bat that doesn't come down straight all the time.

I've liked Luke Wright since his debut ODI innings against the Indians. What a mauling that was.

And I like him even more now after his bold statement following the 120 against the Kiwis:

"Luckily it was in my arc, so I closed my eyes and had a little swing at it and it went over the rope. It was my day."

A guy who can hit a 6 and reach his 100 with his eyes closed must be special.